Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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574. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the opposition of Dublin City Council's elected members to the concept of an eastern bypass in the city, as manifested at their recent meetings on the Dublin City development plan. [15693/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the preparation of a Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area, or GDA, is a statutory function of the National Transport Authority (NTA).  The Greater Dublin Area Transport Strategy 2016-2035 which was published by the NTA in April this year sets out a framework for the planning and delivery of transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area over the next two decades and encompasses public transport, walking and cycling, as well as road projects.

The statutory objective of the Strategy is to provide a long-term strategic planning framework for the integrated development of transport infrastructure and services in the GDA. This integrated approach toward development within the GDA seeks to rectify the mistakes of the past and fits within the overarching objective Government has in respect of the proposed National Planning Framework as outlined in our Programme for a Partnership Government.

As regards the Eastern Bypass Corridor, the Strategy, which was approved by my predecessor, indicates that the section of the proposed Eastern Bypass route from the Dublin Port Tunnel to the South Port area is included for delivery in the Strategy, and while the remainder of the route is not proposed for development during the Strategy period, the NTA has recommended the retention of a route corridor for the scheme to facilitate the possible future use of the corridor for transport provision.I understand that in proposing the continued protection of the Eastern Bypass route corridor, the NTA Strategy recognises the potential of the corridor to be used for public transport purposes in the future and does not limit the future use of this corridor to a road scheme.